


The Man Who Can't Be Moved

by hemingwaysgirl



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Attempt at Humor, Bruce Banner & Tony Stark Friendship, Bruce Banner Is a Good Bro, Canonical Character Death, Comfort, Crying, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everyone Needs A Hug, Father Figures, Father's Day, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Grieving May Parker, Heavy Angst, Hopeful Ending, Hugs, Humor, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Men Crying, Mentioned Peter Parker, Misunderstandings, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Precious Peter Parker, Sad, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Angst, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Gets a Hug, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Whump, iron dad & spider son
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-06-30 19:23:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15758118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hemingwaysgirl/pseuds/hemingwaysgirl
Summary: May Parker learns that underneath his carefree façade, Tony Stark has a heart and will do anything for the people he loves, and yes, that includes her nephew, Peter Parker.





	The Man Who Can't Be Moved

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Mama, I can hear you a-crying](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15747453) by [DarkHarmony](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkHarmony/pseuds/DarkHarmony). 



May Parker has lost an abundance of loved ones over the years.

 

Her grandparents.

 

Her parents.

 

Her in-laws.

 

Ben. The love of her life

 

However, none of these losses tore at her soul and left her feeling as empty and broken as learning that Peter was now gone, too. When her brother-in-law and his wife had died, they had listed Ben and May as the small child's god parents. And just like that Peter had been an essential part of their world – the impenetrable thread that wove around their hearts and held the newly formed family together.

 

When Ben was mugged and murdered, the grief had threatened to drown her, but Peter's presence had kept her afloat. He had witnessed the death of his uncle and blamed himself. She had to be strong for him and it lessened her pain to know he understood how heartbroken she felt, because he felt the same way. They had both lost someone they loved, but they still had each other to help them heal and regain some semblance of normalcy.

 

May still had purpose as Peter's guardian. And that was enough to keep her going.

 

But now she was utterly and completely alone.

 

Sorrow and anger filled her heart, and she wanted to scream at the universe for the unfairness of losing her little boy.

 

Tony Stark had promised to protect him against all odds. However, even Iron Man held no influence against the unpredictability of death and worlds beyond their own.

 

But May needed to blame someone, and Tony was there as Peter had faded to ash. He could've done something, anything – why didn't he stop it? He's saved so many people over the years, but he couldn't save the most important person in her life – her nephew who had grown into something more precious – a son.

 

Peter wouldn't have even been on that godforsaken planet if not for Tony. He wouldn't have been so close to Thanos as he split the world into and maybe, just maybe, he would still be whole and... alive.

 

Tony had stoically broken the news of Peter's death two days after he had gone missing. And as she recalled the lack of emotion on his face, a fury so consuming and terrifying enveloped all logic. She wanted to verbally lash out at him and tear him apart – until she wiped that blank look of indifference off his face -

 

until her pain became his pain as well.

 

So, when she found the haphazardly wrapped gift lying on a shelf in her nephew’s closet, May saw her opportunity to make the unflappable billionaire understand just how much he and the world at large had lost when Peter had crumbled to dust.

 

Attached to the bow was a tag that simply read,

 

_To: Tony From: Peter_

_“Happy Father's Day... I think we're finally there.”_

 

The simple words hit May like an anvil to the chest. Surely, he didn't see Tony Stark billionaire extraordinaire as a father figure. But she couldn't deny the truth staring her right in the face.

 

And Tony didn't seem to be affected in the least by Peter's abrupt departure into the unknown. The handful of times he had visited her and updated her on his and Bruce's progress in reversing the apocalyptic events of that day, he was collected and objective, no emotion seeping through his marble expression.

 

The thought that Peter had grown to love a man who apparently viewed him as nothing more than another life lost intensified her anger.

 

No, she couldn't accept that. Peter deserved more than cold indifference.

 

***

 

May arrived at Stark Tower without really remembering how she got there. She came back to herself when the lobby's security guard asked to see her ID. He took it from her trembling fingers, recognition seeping through his professional mask as he read her name.

 

“You're Peter Parker's aunt, huh? You're clear to go up. Mr. Stark should be in the penthouse. Friday'll take you there. Elevator's down the hall to the right.”

 

Once she stepped out of the lift, Friday led her down a darkened area, using lights as a guide until she reached the living room.

 

She could hear slightly raised voices coming from what she supposed was the kitchen – Tony and a quieter male voice she couldn't place. Had she not been announced? She sat on the couch to listen.

 

“Tony, you need to sleep. Dr. Cho said all this stress is putting too much strain on your heart. You've already had symptoms consistent with--.”

 

“Bruce, drop it. I'm fine. I'm getting a few hours here and there. Stop hounding me – there's too much to do.”

 

“Tony--”

 

“No, this conversation is over. My family is gone, and I won't stop until I've brought them back – until I've brought everyone back. I have to fix this. We have all the necessary data, and you and I both know the arc reactor technology can harness enough power to theoretically create the wormhole and take us back to the past. We just need a vessel to safely make the time jump. But I need you to be with me on this. Please.”

 

“I'm with you. Always. But you're running yourself in the ground. Pepper and Peter need you to be okay once you bring them back.”

 

“I will be.”

 

During the course of the conversation, May's wobbly legs had somehow carried her to the threshold separating the two rooms. So far she hadn't been noticed.

 

God, Bruce was right. Stark looked dead on his feet. His normally tan complexion had taken on a milky hue, and he had lost a considerable amount of weight. His lean hip was propped against the kitchen island, and he crossed his arms as he spoke, bracing against the counter-top to undoubtedly hold himself up. She noticed in alarm how his left hand trembled.

 

Barely registering the tears running down her cheeks, May walked fully into the room and tackled Tony, hugging him fiercely.

 

“May...” he breathed, visibly trying to compose himself. However, he obviously didn't have the strength to put on his usual expression-less mask.

 

She tried to smile, she really did, but her face just crumbled further. Tony's wide brown eyes filled with tears of his own as he watched her fall apart. She kissed him softly on the cheek and ran a hand through his matted hair. He closed his eyes at the contact.

 

May quickly retreated to the other side of the counter, needing some distance to get herself together.

 

“God, I'm an idiot,” she mumbled quietly. Louder, she said, “I found this in Peter's room and since Father's Day is coming up, I think he'd want you to have it.” May handed over the gift.

 

Tony read the tag over and over, his eyes widening in shock. He gulped and paled further, using a trembling to grip the counter. Realizing what was about to happen, Bruce caught the billionaire as his legs gave away and eased the exhausted man into a sitting position on the floor.

 

May heard a heartbreaking murmur of “Oh, kid” as he fell. She knelt beside him, helping him tear through the sloppy wrapping. Once they popped the lid open, Tony pulled out the black t-shirt inside. Upon reading the white writing emblazoned across the front, he choked out a cross between a laugh and a sob. May's stomach clenched at the sound, but she couldn't help but chuckle at the Peter-worthy pun as well.

 

“Warning! I make horrible chemistry puns periodically,” Bruce read aloud from his spot behind Tony. A laugh burst out of him, catching all of them by surprise. Pretty soon, they were all laughing hysterically, tears of humor mixed with tears of sorrow.

 

As the laughter died down, the somber mood returned – but the heaviness had lifted a bit as memories of simpler times hung in the air.

 

May turned her sharpest glare toward Stark who was crying openly now. He tensed immediately. “Now, here's what's going to happen, Tony. I'm going to fix us all a healthy meal, and you're going to eat at least two servings of everything. Then, you're gonna march yourself into your room and sleep for at least 6 hours. And tomorrow, we're all gonna sit down and you're gonna tell me your plan to get our kid back. Understand?”

 

He sighed in resignation. The irritation mingled with sheepishness that crossed his face reminded her so much of Peter that she had to smile.

 

“Yes ma'am,” the great Tony Stark conceded, ducking his head to hide the hopeful grin tugging at his lips.

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed my story, please leave a kudos and/or comment. Thank you for reading!! :)
> 
> Also, I entered this story into a fanfiction writing contest. Whichever story gets the most likes on the site wins. So, if you have a moment and you liked the story, copy and paste the link in your browser and give my fanfic a thumbs up. Thanks! 
> 
> https://sweek.com/s/AgYHAwhsCAAFBQ4OBwYHDWYCCA==/hemingwaysgirl/The-Man-Who-Can’t-Be-Moved


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